A great many toys and toy devices have been produced through the years which utilize some source of light or which interact with light in some manner. Various flash lights and simulated strobe lights or the like have been provided by toy manufacturers. One of the more interesting materials which has intrigued toy manufacturers is that found in materials which are generally described as "luminescent". Luminescent materials are often described as "glow-in-the-dark" materials due to their property of storing illuminating energy received from an external source and thereafter glowing or emitting a subdued light for an extended period of time. Various types of games and toy apparatus attempting to make use of the amusing and interesting properties of luminescent materials have been provided. For example, an early device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,221 issued to Gordon which sets forth a LUMINESCENT AMUSEMENT DEVICE having a multipaged book-like structure utilizing a back page formed of a luminescent material and a plurality of transparent covering pages. A number of silhouette-type objects are provided representing animals or humans in different positions. The objects are placed upon the luminescent page and covered by the transparent pages to be held in place. Thereafter, the apparatus is exposed to a light source and the objects are removed. Thereafter, the device when viewed in subdued or darkened room conditions glows and defines a darkened silhouette of the previously exposed objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,225,307 issued to Kreeger sets forth a CONVERTIBLE PICTURE used for displaying objects which appear differently under different light conditions such as normal light, darkness or dim light. The structure includes a transformation by means of luminescent applications which respond differently to different lighting conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,705,675 issued to Bixby sets forth a PLATE CHARGING CIRCUIT FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY having a photoexposing apparatus which utilizes a light responsive electric palette upon which a variety of objects are placed. Exposure with a suitable light source causes a charging of the palette in areas not covered by the object producing a photoelectric plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,856 issued to Jordan sets forth a KALEIDOSCOPE PROJECTING APPARATUS in which a light source and lens system are applied to a plurality of rotatably supported image bearing disks interposed between the light source and a display screen. As the image bearing disks are moved in a kaleidoscope-like action, the projected image upon the screen is correspondingly altered.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,055 issued to Pearce sets forth an ILLUMINATED MAGIC WAND having a handle portion supporting an extending translucent stem portion. A battery supply and electric light bulb is supported within the handle such that light produced by the electric lamp is directed into the translucent stem portion to provide an illuminated or glowing stem portion for the toy wand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,117 issued to Gott sets forth a TOY GRENADE WITH FLASH CUBE having a housing which receives and supports a self-powered camera flash cube. A switch is supported upon one end of the housing and electrically coupled to an impact mechanism and to the flash cube. A plurality of directing fins are supported on the reverse side of the housing to ensure that the grenade when thrown impacts on the impact sensing end and activates one cell of the flash cube to produce a burst of light as the grenade impacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,032 issued to Davis sets forth a FLEXIBLE TOY WAND having a battery case at its lower end which also serves as the handle of the wand and a decorative lightable end piece at the opposite end of the wand. The wand is waved in a darkened area and various paths of light are created by the movement of the lighted end piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,371 issued to Boggs, et al. sets forth a SIMULATED TOY FLASH CAMERA having a flash housing containing a light reflecting member visible through a front opening in the frontal wall of the flash housing. A flash shutter mechanism is provided and is operative together with a light source and reflector to produce a burst of light energy through the flash unit to simulate a flash bulb.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,869 issued to Stone sets forth a SELF ILLUMINATED CASE having a flash light housing, a universal mounting and an internal switch therein. A lightbulb within the housing energizes a phosphorescent band of luminosity to produce a regenerated image on the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,035 issued to Kawarada sets forth an ELECTRONIC FLASH APPARATUS having a plurality of flash light projectors comprising flash discharge tubes and reflecting shades therefor. The flash discharge tubes are juxtaposed in an opening to produce a source of flash light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,432 issued to Coffman sets forth a MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT forming a portable illuminating device having plural lamps such as a spotlight, a fluorescent lamp and a strobe light disposed within a housing and selectively connected to a rechargeable battery. A remote magnetically operated switching mechanism is provided to permit the housing to be waterproof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,366 issued to Taylor sets forth NOVEL USES OF PIEZOELECTRIC MATERIALS FOR CREATING OPTICAL EFFECTS for use in an article of manufacture such as a toy or ball or the like. A piezoelectric element for generating electrical energy in response to movement of the article is combined with an optical device such as a neon bulb or the like and electrically connected thereto to provide an electrically operated light in response to electrical energy provided by movement of the piezoelectric device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,166 issued to Tanaka, et al. sets forth an ILLUMINATING APPARATUS comprising a plane board composed of a transparent resin having an organic fluorescent dye incorporated therein and a light reflecting member arranged on at least a part of the back surface of the plate board is emitted from the plate board surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,931 issued to Metsui, et al. sets forth a LENTICULAR LUMINESCENT SCREEN having a lenticular base plate made of transparent material which contains a substance capable of emitting luminescent light in response to stimulating light applied thereto.
British Patent 2,224,661 issued to Cimock sets forth a LIGHTED WAND TOY having an elongated transparent enclosure incorporating randomly distributed reflective pieces for reflecting light from a bulb supported within the enclosure.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have provided entertaining, amusing and useful apparatus, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved image making toys.